Man offers to donate $2.5m land for hospital

Alan McIntosh wants to give away 12 hectares of land to the Government so it can build a hospital on it.

Local real estate agents say the land outside Kingscliff in northern New South Wales is worth about $2.5 million but great-grandfather Alan says the price paid for recent resumptions indicate the land could be worth three times that.

“It’s not about the money,” says Alan.

Alan McIntosh wants to donate his land for the development of a hospital. (9news)

“I want to give something back to the community which has supported me for fifty years.”

The former newsagent no longer farms the land and says it would be a perfect site for the planned $534 million hospital.

With a walking stick for support, 77-year-old Alan took A Current Affair on a tour of his land.

"I'm not getting any younger,” says Alan.

Alan, 77, said he was motivated to do something for the community. (9news)

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“I have cancer, bowel cancer. I know we're not here for a long time so hopefully we can make it a good time ."

Alan says he had to travel across the border for cancer treatment and knew firsthand the need for better services in the area but what really prompted his generosity was the fracture the proposed hospital site has created in the community.

"It got ugly and being a community person for so long I thought this is wrong," he says.

The New South Wales Government has selected a sight on farm land closer to Kingscliff, much to the horror of some locals like Hayley Paddon.

Local real estate agents estimate the land to be worth about $2.5 million. (9news)

" It’s not a NIMBY thing it has nothing to do with not wanting it in my backyard. This is about state significant farmland," says Hayley.

Another vocal critic of the State Government picked site is Barbara Roughan.

"If the hospital was to be built there, the domino effect of all the re-zoning and all of that will be built on – high rises and that's what concerns me,” says Barbara.

Alan says when he rang the local member and offered his land to end the squabbling he was told they would get back to him.

The hospital development could cost $534 million. (9news)

“That's what they said. 'I'll get back to you',” says Alan.

“Then I thought, gee if I was getting that land for nothing, you know I'd be having a look at it straight away."

In a statement, a Health Infrastructure spokesperson says the Tweed Valley community has been given six weeks to give feedback on the proposed site and suggest alternative sites for feedback.

Some, like Barbara Roughan have already spoken out against Alan’s proposal.